JUSTinCATI 


Mathews 


tihvaxy  of  €he  theological  ^^mimvy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


PRESENTED  BY 

Rufus  H.   LeFevre 


JUSTIFICA 


MAY  21  lai'^  ^  ' 


BISHOP  G.  M.  MATHEWS,  D.D. 

A  Bishop  of  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethriti  in  Christ 


Dayton,  Ohio 

United   Brethren    Publishing  Home 

igoz 


Copyright  1902,  by  W.  R.  Funk,  Agent 
All  rights  reserved 


PREFACE. 


The  purpose  of  this  little  book  is  not  to  prepare 
a  treatise  on  the  subject  of  justification,  but 
rather  to  present  such  practical  features  of  this 
important  doctrine  as  shall  be  helpful  to  the  larg- 
est number  of  readers.  In  the  discussion  of  this 
fundamental  truth,  the  nature  of  the  atonement 
has  been  briefly  considered,  for  the  reason  that 
there  is  a  vital  relation  between  it  and  the  doc- 
trine of  divine  pardon. 

The  accumulated  literature  upon  this  subject, 
from  the  apostolic  period  to  the  present  time, 
abounds  with  a  great  variety  of  conceptions  con- 
cerning the  fact  and  nature  of  the  atonement  and 
the  doctrine  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  and  recon- 
ciliation with  God.  It  is  surprising  how  appar- 
ently honest  students  and  sincere  writers  have  so 
widely  differed  in  their  interpretation  of  the  Word 
of  God  concerning  truths  taught  and  emphasized 

.    iii 


M7I 


Preface 

by  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament.  The  Paul- 
ine view  of  justification  by  faith  is  so  clearly  and 
positively  set  forth  in  the  epistles  to  the  Romans 
and  Galatians,  as  well  as  in  other  portions  of  tlie 
New  Testament,  that  one  is  surprised  at  the  readi- 
ness with  which  the  ante-Nicene  and  post-Nicene 
fathers,  in  treating  this  subject,  used  phraseology 
that  was  ambiguous  and  misleading,  and  gravi- 
tated toward  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  good 
works.  God,  however,  kept  his  eye  upon  tliis  gem 
of  Scripture  truth,  and  providentially  raised  up 
Luther,  who  grasped  the  pendulum  and  swung  it 
back  to  its  position  where  the  apostolic  fathers 
found  it. 

If  one  will  take  the  time  and  pains  to  read  care- 
fully the  vast  amount  of  modern  literature  upon 
the  atonement  and  divine  pardon,  he  will  be  as- 
tonished and  even  shocked  at  the  insidious  and 
dangerous  heresies  that  lie  hidden  in  much  of  the 
theological  writings  of  to-day.  This  explains,  in 
part,  why  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith  is  so  rarely  preached  from  our  pulpits, 
and,  also,  why  the  modern  evangelism  is  so  in- 
effectual and  barren  of  spiritual  results,  such  as 
characterized  the  preaching  of  the  Reformation 

iv 


Preface 

and  subsequent  evangelistic  movements.  Those 
who  do  not  emphasize  in  their  teaching  the  fact 
and  universality  of  sin  will  necessarily  hold 
lightly  to  the  necessity  of  the  forgiveness  of  sin 
and  reconciliation  with  God  through  repentance 
and  faith  in  Christ.  Sin  is  more  than  a  mistake 
or  blunder.  It  has  disturbed  man's  relations  with 
God's  moral  government  and  placed  him  in  the 
attitude  and  disposition  of  an  enemy.  The  im- 
penitent sinner  is  guilty,  lost,  and  undone.  The 
gulf  between  him  and  God  is  impassable,  except 
it  be  bridged  by  the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ; 
and  even  then  its  gracious  provisions  for  man's 
personal  salvation  must  be  applied  to  the  penitent 
through  faith  in  Christ.  This  is  the  teaching  of 
the  Xew  Testament.  This  is  the  Pauline  view. 
It  was  the  key-note  of  the  powerful  preaching  of 
the  early  centuries;  and  if  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  shall  be  effectual  in  the  future  in  the  salva- 
tion of  sinners,  justification  by  faith  in  Christ,, 
with  all  that  it  includes  or  implies,  must  be  em- 
phasized by  the  religious  writers  and  teachers. 
Any  new  or  modern  theology  that  minifies  the 
importance  of  this  truth,  or  ignores  it,  should  be 
watched  with  a  jealous  eye  and  checkmated. 


Preface 

Much  confusion,  doubt,  and  perplexity  result 
from  an  attempt  to  understand  all  the  mj^steries 
of  redemption.  This  is  the  most  unreasonable 
and  inexcusable  folly.  Paul  recognized  its  un- 
fathomable mystery — "Great  is  the  mystery  of 
igodliness:  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh."  Ee- 
"demption  is  sure  and  precious  because  it  is  beyond 
human  ken.  First  of  all,  we  are  to  accept  the 
Bible  as  the  authoritative  and  genuine  revelation 
of  God  to  men.  Then  we  should  study  it  as  it 
'deals  with  great  facts — the  fact  of  God  and  sin,, 
redemption  and  pardon,  reconciliation  and  eternal 
life  in  Jesus  Christ.  We  need  not  hope  to  solve 
all  the  problems  of  redemption,  but  we  may  know 
and  act  upon  the  essential  facts  of  salvation,  of 
which  pardon  is  one.  "All  have  sinned,  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God."  "Christ  died  for  our 
sins  and  rose  for  our  justification."  "God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself." 
"Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  These 
are  simple  Scripture  facts  and  truths  which  thou- 
sands of  our  young  people  need  to  know  and  be- 
lieve. The  religious  leaders  and  teachers  of  our 
Church  may  be  tempted  to  look  upon  this  subject 


Preface 

of  justification  as  dry  and  uninteresting;  but  if 
we  follow  Paul's  writings,  we  shall  find  how  he 
made  it  pulsate  with  lively  interest,  not  simply  in 
its  isolation,  but  in  vital  connection  with  concur- 
rent truths.  He  invested  it  with  great  practical 
importance  in  connection  with  Christian  life  and 
experience.  If  we  would  have  our  young  people 
pure  and  strong  and  happy  Christians,  we  must 
give  proper  prominence  to  this  subject  and  help 
them  to  get  true  conceptions  of  sin  and  pardon 
and  personal  salvation. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  be  original  in  pre- 
paring this  volume,  except  that  of  statement  and 
arrangement.  What  is  found  in  standard  works 
on  theology  has  been  gathered  and  put  in  phrase- 
ology suited  for  popular  reading.  No  effort  has 
been  made  to  be  scientific  or  critical  in  treatment. 
The  one  aim  has  been  to  instruct  and,  if  possible, 
guide  our  people,  especially  the  young,  in  respect 
to  what  we  have  conceived  to  be  the  Scripture  doc- 
trine of  justification.  The  writer  willingly  ac- 
knowledges that  the  peril  of  this  book  is  its  meager 
treatment.  This  may  be  unsatisfactory  to  certain 
students,  but  we  are  persuaded  that  there  are 
many  young  ministers,  Sunday-school  teachers, 

vli 


Preface 

and  busy  laymen  who  may  be  helped  by  this  un- 
pretentious little  volume. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  book  there  has  come 
to  the  writer  such  a  clear  conception  of  the  ground, 
nature,  and  blessed  results  of  pardon  and  justi- 
fication, that  his  own  soul  has  been  filled  with 
holy  joy  in  the  consciousness  of  personal  salva- 
tion. If  this  small  book  shall  fulfill  its  intended 
mission  and  prove  helpful  to  any  one  of  its  read- 
ers, I  shall  feel  that  my  imperfect  effort  has  not 
been  in  vain.  G.  M.  M. 


viil 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS, 


Chapteb  Page 

Preface,          -       - iii 

I.    The  Relation  of  Justification  in  the 

Redemptive  Scheme,          -       -       -       -  11 

II.    Justification  Defined,        -       .        -       -  19 

III.  The  Ground  of  Justification,         -       -  33 

IV.  The  Condition  of  Justification,     -       -  44 

V.    History  of  the  Doctrine  of  Justifica- 
tion,          57 

VI.    The  Fruits  of  Justification,    -       -       -  67 


Ix 


JUSTIFICATION, 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  Relation  of  Justification  in  the 
Redemptive  Scheme. 

Justification  is  a  vital  part  of  the  Christian 
system.  The  relation  between  this  doctrine  and 
the  atonement  is  so  intimate  that  the  discussion  of 
the  one  involves  the  consideration  of  the  other. 
Whatever  theory  of  the  atonement  men  may  hold, 
it  affects  their  conception  of  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication. 

This  explains  why  so  many  different  views  of 
the  nature  and  condition  of  justification  are  held 
by  men.  Those  who  hold  to  the  substitutionary 
atonement  recognize  the  demands  of  the  moral 
government  of  God,  and  emphasize  the  necessity 
of  the  mediatorial  work  and  death  of  Christ  as 
the  only  adequate  ground  of  pardon  or  forgiveness 

11 


Justification 

of  sins  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  moral  law. 
The  advocates  of  what  is  called  the  "moral  in- 
fluence theory"  do  not  believe  in  the  vicarious 
sacrifice  of  Christ.  They  deny  that  the  work  of 
Christ  has  rendered  God  propitious  towards  man, 
and  assert  that  the  sole  mission  of  Christ  was  to 
reveal  God's  love  in  such  a  way  as  to  appeal  pow- 
erfully to  the  human  heart  and  lead  to  a  renuncia- 
tion of  sin. 

In  considering,  therefore,  justification  as  a  spe- 
cific aspect  of  human  salvation,  the  Scripture  con- 
ception of  redemption  must  be  presented.  The 
distinction  between  the  atonement  and  justifica- 
tion must  be  kept  clearly  in  view  in  all  this  dis- 
cussion. The  atonement  refers  to  the  provisions 
made  for  the  salvation  of  men,  while  justification 
has  reference  to  the  particular  method  by  which 
they  are  saved. 

There  are  two  elements  in  salvation  which  are 
clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  The  first  ele- 
ment is  deliverance  from  legal  guilt.  This  de- 
liverance is  impossible  without  the  mediation  of 
Christ.  The  second  element  in  human  salvation 
is  positive,  and  relates  to  personal  holiness.  Moral 
cleansing  is  as  essential  as  legal  justification.    Sal- 

12 


Justification 

vation  is,  therefore,  both  objective  and  subjective 
in  its  complete  aspect. 

Restoration  to  holiness  and  freedom  from  guilt 
are  inseparably  connected  with  the  mediatorial 
work  of  Christ,  in  its  effects  as  manifested  in  hu- 
man experience,  and,  therefore,  should  never  be 
separated  in  setting  forth  the  complete  Bible  con- 
ception of  salvation.  Then,  the  Scriptures  clearly 
and  positively  teach  that  salvation  is  attainable 
in  and  through  Christ.  There  is  no  salvation  out 
of  Christ.  Both  philosophy  and  experience  bear 
witness  to  the  futility  of  all  other  schemes  and 
processes  to  bring  sinners  into  reconciliation  and 
communion  with  God.  The  certainty  and  com- 
pleteness of  salvation  in  and  through  Christ  alone, 
is  the  Pauline  doctrine.  It  was  dear  to  the  early 
church,  and  has  come  down  through  the  centuries. 
Hence,  the  prominence  with  which  justification  is 
set  forth  in  the  Scriptures,  especially  in  the  Paul- 
ine epistles. 

Paul,  in  his  letter  to  the  Romans,  places  tre- 
mendous emphasis  upon  justification  by  faith  in 
Christ.  It  is  the  key  to  that  epistle.  The  purpose 
of  his  argument  in  this  connection  is  to  show  the 
necessity  and  important  position  of  justification  in 

13 


Justification 

the  scheme  of  redemption.  The  force  of  his  argu- 
ment here  is  to  emphasize  its  antecedent  value.  It 
precedes,  in  thought  and  relation,  other  blessings, 
which  may  be  said  to  be  concomitant  results.  The 
fundamental  truth  is,  that  nothing  else  can  be  ob- 
tained in  Christ  Jesus  without  first  gaining  a  new 
standing  before  God,  which  is  the  result  of  justi- 
fication. This  is  the  first  step  for  the  sinner  to 
take.  His  attitude  and  relation  to  the  moral  gov- 
ernment must  be  changed.  He  must  be  freed  from 
the  demands  of  the  broken  law,  and  get  from  un- 
der condemnation  in  order  to  obtain  actual  salva- 
tion. 

The  proclamation  and  emphasis  of  this  truth 
made  the  preaching  of  the  early  fathers  effective. 
Luther  made  it  the  central,  pivotal  truth  of  the 
Eef  ormation.  It  was  also  the  central  truth  of  the 
mighty  Wesleyan  movement.  It  is  a  fact  patent 
in  history  that  the  preaching  of  justification  by 
faith,  in  all  the  ages  subsequent  to  the  time  of 
Paul,  has  been  effective  in  salvation  in  proportion 
as  it  has  been  emphasized  as  the  central  truth 
in  the  ministry  of  that  age.  However  widely  theo- 
logians may  differ  in  their  conceptions  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  atonement  in  certain  aspects  of  it,  no 

14 


Justification 

one  can  ignore  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  Justifica- 
tion by  faith  in  Christ  and  build  up  a  Christian 
system  that  is  evangelical  and  powerful  in  the  sal- 
vation of  sinners. 

It  is  helpful,  in  this  connection,  not  only  to 
emphasize  the  importance  of  justification,  as 
taught  in  the  Scriptures,  but  also  to  point  out  the 
relation  of  this  doctrine  to  regeneration  and 
sanctification.  A  certain  class  of  theological  writ- 
ers holds  the  view  that  justification  logically  occu- 
pies a  position  between  regeneration  and  sanctifi- 
cation. They  insist  that  regeneration  necessarily 
precedes  justification,  and  that  sanctification, 
which  they  define  as  "the  capacity  for  good  works 
through  the  Holy  Ghost,"  succeeds  it;  but  it  is 
evident  that  such  is  not  true,  either  in  a  logical 
or  chronological  sense.  Justification  must  neces- 
sarily precede  regeneration  and  sanctification, 
though  in  personal  experience  we  may  not  be  con- 
scious of  such  distinction.  Justification  has  rela- 
tion to  moral  law;  regeneration  to  spiritual  life. 
Justification  is  objective ;  regeneration  and  sancti- 
fication are  subjective. 

In  Christ,  the  sinner  gets  a  new  standing  in 
God's  sight,  and  that  standing  is  on  the  platform 

15 


Justification 

of  divine  grace,  rather  than  law.  The  sinner  hav- 
ing once  obtained  a  justified  position  in  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ,  may  then  have  life,  peace,  cleans- 
ing, and  all  the  other  blessings  of  salvation.  First 
of  all,  the  sinner's  relation  to  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  God  must  be  adjusted ;  then  follows  God's 
regenerating  act  of  imparting  life  to  the  soul  of 
the  believer.  Acquittal  precedes  the  giving  of  life, 
in  the  order  of  thought  and  relation,  if  not  in  the 
order  of  time  and  fact.  Keconciliation  precedes 
cleansing.  First,  harmony,  then  fellowship  with 
God,  is  the  order.  However,  justification  is  not 
an  isolated  blessing.  It  stands  indissolubly  and 
vitally  connected  with  other  spiritual  blessings. 
When  the  sinner  is  freed  from  the  condemnation 
of  the  law  and  his  guilt  is  canceled,  the  Holy 
Spirit  imparts  new  life.  This  is  the  new  birth, 
or  regeneration.  It  accompanies  pardon,  but  is 
not  identical  with  it. 

Says  Bishop  Merrill:  "The  sinner  is  con- 
demned, and  must  be  justified;  he  is  dead,  and 
must  be  made  alive;  and  he  is  also  polluted  or 
filthy,  and  must  be  washed  or  cleansed.  This 
washing  process  is  distinct  from  the  quickening 
process  which  gives  life,  but  is  not  separate  from 

16 


Justification 

it.  No  converted  soul  remains  unwashed.  Such 
a  condition  is  scarcely  thinkable."  Let  the  dis- 
tinction be  clear.  Justification  is  the  legal  side 
of  salvation.  Regeneration  relates  to  the  life  ele- 
ment. Sanctification  relates  to  the  element  of 
purity.  Salvation  includes  all  these  three  doc- 
trines, and  justification  antecedes  the  other  two. 
This  is  a  vital  distinction,  which  should  be  kept 
in  mind  in  discussing  the  relation  of  the  doctrine 
of  justification  in  the  scheme  of  redemption.  The 
legal  side  of  salvation  comes  first  in  order.  It 
precedes  and  prepares  the  way  for  every  other 
phase  of  personal  salvation.  The  only  way  to  in- 
terpret the  significance  of  Christ's  mission  to  men 
is  to  consider  pardon  in  the  light  of  the  relaHon  of 
men  to  moral  government  and  divine  law. 

The  key-phrase  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  is, 
justified  in  Christ.  Paul  presents  a  strong  and 
incontrovertible  argument,  showing  that  in  the 
scheme  of  salvation  justification  in  Christ  is  the 
first  step.  Dr.  A.  T.  Pierson,  in  his  admirable  little 
book,  "In  Christ  Jesus,"  says:  "We  can  have  in 
Christ  Jesus  nothing  else,  unless  and  until  we 
have  first  justification — a  new  standing  before 
God.     Paul  is  inspired  to  begin  this  epistle  by 

2  17 


Justification 

showing  that  all  men,  Jews  and  Gentiles  alike, 
are  included  under  sin,  and  therefore  involved  in 
condemnation.  No  sinner  has  before  him  any 
prospect  but  divine  wrath,  until  he  is  first  freed 
from  the  law,  no  longer  under  condemnation. 
Hence,  the  first  unfolding  of  grace  in  the  epistles 
is  the  plain  revelation  of  God's  marvelous  plan, 
whereby  sinners  get  the  standing  of  saints."  This 
order  in  thought  and  relation  has  been  emphasized, 
because  of  its  scriptural  and  practical  importance 
in  human  redemption  and  personal  salvation. 
Justified,  regenerated,  sanctified — these  are  the 
elements  and  their  position  in  the  redemptive 
scheme. 


18 


CHAPTEE  II. 
Justification  Defined. 

The  nature  and  ground  of  justification  are  so 
closely  related  that  the  discussion  of  the  one  neces- 
sitates the  consideration  of  the  other.  This  diffi- 
culty arises  from  the  fact  that,  as  the  atonement 
is  the  ground  of  justification,  the  theory  of  the 
atonement  we  hold,  affects  our  view  of  the  nature 
of  justification.  Hence,  definitions  are  essential 
to  the  proper  discussion  and  clear  understanding 
of  this  Scripture  doctrine. 

The  meaning  of  the  word  "justification,'^  as 
used  in  the  Scriptures,  is  of  great  importance. 
This  can  best  be  reached  by  giving  a  history  of 
the  word  in  its  various  relations  to  law,  and  its^ 
applications  as  set  forth  especially  in  the  New 
Testament.  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  the  nature- 
of  justification  must  be  studied  in  the  light  of' 
the  terms  used  to  express  it.  Primarily,  "the  word: 
'justify'  means  to  set  right  or  to  put  on  a  right. 

19 


Justification 

footing  one  whose  relation,  either  in  consequence 
of  misunderstanding  or  misrepresentation,  or  be- 
cause of  misconduct,  has  been  what  it  should  not 
be.  Where  there  has  been  no  real  wrong-doing, 
justification  is  simply  vindication  or  declaration 
of  innocence  or  rectitude;  where  there  has  been 
real  wrong-doing,  it  presupposes  the  fulfillment. 
of  some  condition  by  which  the  wrong-doing  Ib 
made  good  or  expiated.  In  both  cases,  a  relation 
more  or  less  abnormal  is  changed  into  one  that 
is  normal."^ 

Primarily,  it  is  a  question  of  relationship,  and 
not  of  character  or  conduct.  It  is  well  understood 
by  Bible  scholars,  that  both  the  Old  Testament 
Hebrew  word  p^t^and  the  New  Testament  Greek 
word  SiKcuovv,  mean,  to  put  in  a  right  relation, 
not  to  make  righteous.  "In  Pauline  usage,  diKaiow 
denotes  the  judicial  act  of  God,  whereby  those  who 
put  their  faith  in  Christ  are  declared  righteous  in 
his  eyes,  free  from  guilt  and  punishment."  This 
is  Paul's  view,  as  set  forth  in  his  statement  to  the 
church  at  Rome  and  Galatia.  "But  to  him  that 
worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth 
the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  reckoned  for  righteous- 

Scribner's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  1901. 
20 


Justification 

ness"  (Rom.  4:  5,  R.  V).  (Gal.  2: 16.)  Godet, 
in  commenting  on  the  Book  of  Romans,  declares 
that  there  is  not  a  single  example  in  the  whole  of 
classical  literature  where  the  word  means,  "to 
make  righteous."  He  also  insists  that  in  the  New 
Testament  the  usage  of  the  word  is  unmistakably 
against  that  interpretation.  It  may  be  relied  upon 
that  in  biblical  literature  the  word  Sikcuow  is  used 
in  the  forensic  sense,  and  means,  "to  pronounce 
Tighteous." 

Justification  is  a  court  term,  and  means  the 
judicial  decision  of  the  judge,  acquitting  the  per- 
son arraigned  in  court  of  all  charged  against  him. 
So  far  as  the  law  is  concerned,  the  one  thus  ac- 
quitted stands  righteous  in  its  sight.  However, 
there  are  other  phases  and  distinctions  which  can 
only  be  set  forth  by  explaining  the  different  sjmo- 
nyms  used  for  justification,  such  as  pardon,  for- 
giveness, remission,  and  acquittal,  which  are  used 
interchangeably.  Generically,  pardon  is  refrain- 
ing from  the  exacting  of  penalty.  Theologically,, 
it  is  the  discharge  of  the  sinner  at  the  tribunal  of 
divine  law.  Pardon  differs  from  forgiveness, 
which  has  special  reference  to  the  feeling  of  free- 
dom from  resentment.    Pardon  also  differs  from 

21 


Justification 

acquittal,  which  implies  innocence.  Pardon  im- 
plies a  disposition  to  overlook,  and  guilt  remitted. 

It  will  help  the  popular  reader  to  show  him 
the  distinction  between  legal  and  evangelical  justi- 
fication. Legal  justification  refers  to  perfect  per-' 
sonal  obedience  to  the  demands  of  a  righteous  law. 
Evangelical  justification  rests  in  the  perfect  obedi- 
ence of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  is  conditioned 
on  faith  in  him  as  a  personal  Saviour.  In  the 
first  case,  justification  rests  upon  one's  own  per- 
sonal righteousness.  In  the  second  instance,  it  de- 
pends upon  the  righteousness  of  another  person 
who  has  satisfied  the  demands  of  the  broken  law. 
Used  in  its  strictly  forensic  sense,  justification 
refers  to  the  judicial  decision  that  declares  the 
legal  standing  of  the  justified.  It  is  not  an  act 
of  mercy  or  forgiveness  that  sets  him  right  with, 
the  law. 

Applying  this  principle  to  God's  act  of  justifi- 
cation, it  is  asserted  by  some  theologians  that 
those  whom  God,  by  judicial  decision,  declares 
righteous,  are  righteous  in  fact.  But  such  a  view 
of  justification  takes  for  granted  an  antecedent 
act  of  forgiveness.  It  also  assumes  the  prior  im- 
putation of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  as  a  neces- 


Justification 

sar}^  qualification  of  the  sinner  for  purely  forensic 
justification.  This  is  the  Calvinistic  view,  which 
we  fail  to  find  supported  in  the  teaching  of  the 
New  Testament.  It  is,  therefore,  evident  that 
true  justification  is  not  purely  forensic,  inasmuch 
as  it  contains  the  element  of  forgiveness.  The 
subjects  of  evangelical  justification  are  sinners. 
This  is  the  positive  teaching  of  the  Scriptures. 
No  theory  of  this  doctrine  is  correct  that  omits  or 
ignores  the  vital  fact  of  personal  guilt  and  its  for- 
giveness. Saint  Paul  made  this  fact  a  vital  one 
in  his  teaching,  "For  all  have  sinned,  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God;  being  justified  freely 
by  his  grace  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ,     .     .     ." 

The  terms,  "forgiveness"  and  "justification," 
are  used  interchangeably  in  the  Scriptures.  "Be 
it  known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren, 
that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the 
forgiveness  of  sins:  and  by  him  all  that  believe 
are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could 
not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses"  (Acts  13: 
38,  39).  A  conclusive  proof -text  is  found  in  Ro- 
mans 3 :  35,  26,  "Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be 
a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  de- 

23 


Justification 

elare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins 
that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God ;  to 
declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness :  that 
he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which 
believeth  in  Jesus."  Here  the  same  things  are 
declared  in  connection  with  the  terms,  "justifica- 
tion" and  "remission." 

Justification  of  the  sinner  must  be  considered  in 
two  aspects:  first,  as  the  gracious  act  of  God  in 
the  exercise  of  his  rightful  sovereignty  as  a  moral 
ruler;  second,  as  the  changed  relationship  of  the 
sinner  to  the  moral  government.  The  Bible  re- 
veals the  glorious  fact  that  God  is  ever  seeking  to 
establish  true  personal  relations  between  himself 
and  sinful  men.  This  is  the  great  purpose  of  the 
scheme  of  redemption  through  Christ.  In  this 
transaction  there  are  two  parties,  God  the  of- 
fended, and  man  the  offender.  The  vital  question 
is.  Who  shall  dictate  the  conditions  of  peace? 
Shall  the  sinner  do  anything  more  than  accept 
the  conditions  and  act  upon  them  ?  Certainly  not. 
It  is  perfectly  reasonable  that  God,  the  dishon- 
ored party,  should  be  the  one  to  propose  the  terms 
of  reconciliation  and  restored  friendship. 

The  Scriptures  teach  that  man  has  disregarded 

24 


Justification 

God's  authority  and  violated  his  moral  law,  thus 
making  himself  obnoxious  in  the  sight  of  his  Crea- 
tor. Man  has  deliberately  dishonored  God.  His 
will,  affections,  and  acts  are  antagonistic  to  divine 
government.  In  Romans  1 :  28-32,  the  apostle 
graphically  describes  the  extent  of  man's  depravity 
and  opposition,  "And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to 
retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  God  gave  them 
over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things  which 
are  not  convenient;  being  filled  with  all  unright- 
eousness, fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness, 
maliciousness;  full  of  envy,  murder,  debate,  de- 
ceit, malignity;  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of 
God,  despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  inventors  of  evil 
things,  disobedient  to  parents,  without  under- 
standing, covenant-breakers,  without  affection,  im- 
placable, unmerciful ;  who  knowing  the  judgment 
of  God,  that  they  which  commit  such  things  are 
worthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have 
pleasure  in  them  that  do  them."  Shall  such  of- 
fenders have  any  part  in  proposing  the  terms  and 
manner  of  reconciliation?  God  himself  must  de- 
cide whether,  in  view  of  his  own  character  and 
the  nature  of  his  moral  government,  he  can,  with 
honor  to  himself,  and  safety  to  his  kingdom,  par- 

25 


Justification 

don  the  sinner  and,  at  the  same  time,  maintain 
the  majesty  and  integrity  of  his  law.  God,  alone, 
must  determine  whether  there  are  adequate 
grounds  on  which  to  justify  the  offender.  "It  is 
God  that  justifieth."  But  it  should  ever  be  kept 
in  mind  that,  with  God's  sovereignty,  he  acts,  in 
this  respect,  as  a  moral  ruler  possessing  supreme 
power  and  authority,  both  to  condemn  our  sins 
forever  and  also  to  forgive  our  transgressions. 
However,  God  can  only  forgive  sins  consistently 
with  his  justice  and  the  interests  of  his  moral  gov- 
ernment. He,  himself,  must  be  just  in  requiring 
a  propitiation  for  sin,  and,  at  the  same  time,  be 
the  justifier  through  the  merits  of  that  propitia- 
tion. 

Paul  solves  this  great  problem  of  the  granting 
of  pardon,  or  justification,  so  as  not  to  abrogate 
divine  law  and  violate  the  demands  of  justice,  by 
showing  that  in  the  scheme  of  salvation,  Christ, 
in  his  sacrifice,  met  all  the  demands  of  the  law 
as  the  sinner's  substitute,  thus  making  it  possible 
and  reasonable  that  the  penalty  of  the  law  might 
be  turned  from  the  sinner  to  him  as  the  Saviour. 
The  apostle  makes  his  argument  still  stronger  by 
showing  that  not  only  the  obedience  and  death.,  of 

26 


Justification 

•Christ  were  essential  to  satisfy  the  demands  of 
•divine  justice,  but  that  there  could  be  no  complete 
justification  without  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
from  the  dead.  "But  for  us  also,  to  whom  it  shall 
be  imputed,  if  we  believe  on  him  that  raised  up 
Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead ;  who  was  delivered 
for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justi- 
fication" (Rom.  4:  24,  25).  But  the  culmination 
•of  the  apostle's  argument  is  reached  where  he  so 
•clearly  presents  the  fundamental  and  pivotal 
thought  of  Christ's  substitute  for  the  sinner: 
"Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus:  whom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith 
in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the 
Temission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  for- 
bearance of  God;  to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time 
Tiis  righteousness :  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  which  belie veth  in  Jesus"  (Hom. 
3:24-26). 

Then  justification  has  respect  to  particular  per- 
•sons.  It  does  not  have  reference  to  that  result  of 
the  atonement  of  Christ  by  which  all  mankind, 
from  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  are  in  a  savable 
state.    It  is  a  matter  of  personal  concern  and  ex- 

27 


Justification 

perience,  through  personal  faith  in  Christ.  Since 
justification  is  the  gracious  act  of  God  in  the 
pardon  of  sin,  it  does  not  make  the  justified  ac- 
tually just  or  righteous.  It  only  frees  the  sinner 
from  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  and  changes 
his  relation  to  the  moral  government.  It  affects 
no  change  in  the  interior  moral  condition  of  the 
sinner.  Here  may  be  seen  the  distinction  between 
justification  and  sanctification.  The  first  is  a 
work  done  for  the  sinner  through  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  Christ ;  the  other  is  a  work  done  in 
the  sinner  through  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Dr.  Miley  well  says:  "Justification  is  com- 
plete in  its  own  proper  work.  It  cannot  annihi- 
late the  deeds  of  sin,  out  of  which  guilt  arises. 
They  are  eternal  and  unchangeable  realities,  and 
must  forever  be  the  deeds  of  their  authors.  For- 
giveness abates  nothing  of  their  intrinsic  demerit, 
but  is  a  complete  discharge  from  their  guilt  as  an 
amenability  to  punishment.  In  such  a  sense  of 
guilt,  and  with  respect  to  all  past  sins,  the  for- 
giveness is  complete.  So  justification  sets  the 
sinner  right  with  God,  as  completely  right  as  if 
he  had  never  sinned.  It  is  not  a  small  blessing. 
With  all  the  limitations  that  we  pointed  out,  it 

28 


Justification 

is  still  a  great  blessing,  great  in  itself  and  great 
in  the  privileges  to  which  it  opens  the  way." 

Careful  distinction  should  always  be  made  be- 
tween the  act  of  pardon  and  the  person  justified. 
A  justified  believer  is  more  than  a  pardoned  crim- 
inal. While  pardon  releases  the  soul  from  the 
exaction  of  the  law  in  respect  to  particular  sins, 
it  does  not  provide  for  any  change  of  relationship 
to  the  moral  government  of  God.  It  is  negative 
as  to  the  condemnation  of  the  person  pardoned. 
Hence,  justification,  in  its  complete  unity,  in- 
cludes the  positive  restoration  of  the  soul  to  its 
proper  place  as  a  subject  of  God's  moral  king- 
dom. It  is  that  divine  acceptance  of  the  par- 
doned sinner  which  treats  the  soul  as  if  it  always 
had  been  loyal.  The  person  is  not  only  regarded 
as  righteous,  but  is  also  treated  as  such.  The  per- 
son thus  accepted  is  transferred  into  new  moral 
relations,  and  full  and  complete  reconciliation  is 
established. 

Evangelical  justification  should  not  be  con- 
fused with  sanctification,  as  some  writers  have 
done.  Sanctification  is  the  immediate  and  vital 
fruit  of  justification,  but  it  is  an  act  of  God  dif- 
ferent in  its  nature.     Justification  only  lifts  the 

29 


Justification 

condemnation  of  sin  and  changes  the  sinner's  re- 
lation to  moral  government  and  law.  It  does  not 
change  the  interior  nature.  That  is  the  distinct 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  sanctification.  Says 
Pope:  "As  an  individual  sinner  he  is  forgiven: 
his  justification  is  pardon  or  the  remission  of  sins ; 
that  is,  the  punishment  is  remitted.  As  a  person 
ungodly,  he  is  regarded  as  righteous;  righteous- 
ness is  imputed  to  him.  His  sin  is  pardoned, 
his  person  is  justified.  As  a  believer  in  Jesus,  his 
faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.  All  these 
phases  describe,  under  its  negative  and  positive 
aspects,  one  and  the  selfsame  blessing  of  the  New 
Covenant  as  constituting  the  state  of  grace  into 
which  the  believer  has  entered,  and  in  which,  as 
a  believer,  he  abides."  This  view  is  confirmed  by 
various  passages  in  the  New  Testament.  The  first 
reference  made  in  the  New  Testament  to  this  doc- 
trine is  found  in  Luke  18 :  13,  14,  where  Jesus, 
himself,  declared  concerning  the  publican  who 
prayed  to  God  to  be  merciful  to  him  a  sinner, 
that  he  went  down  to  his  house  justified.  Jesus' 
teaching  concerning  this  truth  was  made  even 
more  emphatic  in  the  commission,  "That  repent- 
ance and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in 

30 


Justification 

his  name  among  all  nations."  And  Paul,  in  Acts 
13 :  38,  39,  takes  this  thought  of  Jesus  and  re- 
states it.  "Through  this  man  [Jesus]  is  preached 
unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins:  and  by  him  all 
that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things." 

To  sum  up  all  that  has  been  said  upon  this 
phase  of  the  subject,  it  is  essential  to  make  a  dis- 
tinction between  legal  and  evangelical  justifica- 
tion. The  one  is  a  forensic  term,  and  has  refer- 
ence wholly  to  law ;  the  other  is  a  Bible  expression, 
and  includes  grace  as  well  as  law.  In  evangelical 
justification,  the  justified  are  those  who  have  been 
proved  guilty.  It  follows,  then,  that  justification 
is  the  same  as  pardon  or  forgiveness.  Mr.  Otter- 
bein,  the  founder  of  our  Church,  held  that  "justi- 
fication and  pardon  of  sin  are  one  and  the  same 
gracious  gift."  Dr.  Eichard  Watson  declared  that 
they  mean  substantially  the  same  thing.  Alex- 
ander Campbell  says,  "It  is  called  justification 
merely  because  the  party  thus  justified  is  treated 
as  though  he  were  innocent  of  the  guilt  alleged 
and  proved."  It  has  also  been  defined  to  be  "an 
act  of  God's  free  grace  in  which  he  pardoneth  all 
our  sins."  Pardon  is  essential  to  the  rectification 
of  the  life  of  the  sinner  before  the  law,  thus  secur- 

31 


Justification 

ing  spiritual  lightening.  In  a  word,  evangelical 
justification  has  reference  to  the  establishment  o^ 
normal  personal  relations  between  God  and  sin» 
iul  men  through  the  merits  of  Christ. 


S2 


CHAPTER  III. 
The  Ground  of  Justification. 

The  Scriptures  sustain  the  evangelical  view, 
that  Christ  alone  is  the  ground,  source,  and  agent 
of  personal  salvation.  There  is  a  vital  relation 
existing  between  the  life  and  death  of  Christ  and 
the  salvation  of  sinners.  It  is  vain  to  ignore  this 
fundamental  and  important  relation.  The  differ- 
ences of  human  opinion  and  statement  concerning 
this  doctrine  grow  out  of  the  interpretation  and 
exposition  of  that  relation. 

Neither  reason  nor  the  Scriptures  admit  the 
fairness  or  fact  of  unconditional  pardon.  The 
grounds  for  its  hestowment  must  be  equitable, 
otherwise  any  favor  extended  to, the  transgressor 
of  the  moral  law  without  respect  to  its  claims 
and  demands  would  destroy  the  integrity  and  maj- 
esty of  the  divine  government,  and  render  personal 
salvation  a  thing  only  in  name,  and  rob  it  of  the 
blessedness  which  the  Bible  ascribes  to  it.    Noth- 

3  33 


Justification 

ing  is  done  unless  it  is  done  right;  and  nothing  is 
done  right  unless  it  is  based  upon  the  principle  of 
justice  as  well  as  the  element  of  mercy.  There 
is  such  a  thing  in  moral  law  as  the  principle  of 
punitive  justice.  Its  aim  is  the  vindication  of 
the  broken  law  and  the  maintenance  of  righteous- 
ness through  the  punishment  of  the  offender. 
This  is  the  great  end  of  all  punishment ;  but  when 
this  end  can  be  accomplished  through  intercession 
and  suffering  of  another  person,  the  punishment 
upon  the  transgressor  may  cease. 

Professor  Edward  John  Hamilton,  in  his  recent 
book,  "The  Moral  Law,"  holds  that  "the  forgive- 
ness of  sin  against  God  cannot  rightly  take  place 
without  a  satisfaction  of  punitive  law  through  the 
sufferings  of  the  sinner  or  of  a  redeemer."  He 
shows  that  "from  the  earliest  times  the  institution 
of  expiatory  burnt  offerings  taught  men  that  With- 
out the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission  of 
sins/  "  which  found  its  fulfillment  in  Christ,  who 
loved  us  and  gave  himself  for  us,  an  offering  and 
sacrifice  unto  God.  He  then  argues,  with  convinc- 
ing force,  that  "from  the  nature  of  the  case,  the 
intercession  of  Christ  could  be  efficacious  only  for 
those  whom  he  properly  represents — for  those  who 

34 


Justification 

have  at  least  begun  to  participate  in  his  life  and 
to  exhibit  liis  character.  The  divine  favor  can- 
not be  expected  for  impenitent  and  willful  trans- 
gressors; but  forgiveness  is  offered  to  all  on  the 
condition  of  faith  and  repentance.  This  substitu- 
tionary justice  finds  some  analogy  in  human  pro- 
ceedings. Sometimes — not  always — justice  is  sat- 
isfied, if  a  fine,  incurred  by  one  person,  be  paid  by 
ftnother.  Occasionally,  a  substitute  has  been  ac- 
cepted to  bear  the  whole  or  part  of  the  penalty, 
and  this  especially  when  the  intercessory  expia- 
tion has  been  rendered  by  him  whose  duty  it  is 
to  enforce  the  law.  In  that  case,  the  purpose  of 
the  ruler  or  the  judge  to  maintain  the  cause  of 
righteousness  cannot  be  questioned.  The  doctrine 
of  the  atonement,  however,  receives  stronger  sup- 
port from  its  own  inherent  righteousness  than 
from  any  human  analogies." 

We  know  that  in  human  affairs  and  govem- 
ynent,  debts  are  sometimes  remitted  without, con- 
dition or  equivalent,  offenses  are  forgiven  uncon- 
ditionally on  various  grounds,  such  as  the  known 
ignorance  of  the  offender,  the  absence  of  evil  in- 
tention, or  the  impulse  of  sinful  affection.  But 
in  the  case  of  the  sinner  before  God's  law,  it  is  a 

35 


Justification 

matter  of  willful,  deliberate  transgression.  No 
confession  or  pledge  of  future  obedience  will  sat- 
isfy the  demands  of  the  law.  Who  can  guarantee 
actual  and  perfect  obedience  ?  Surely  sinful  man 
cannot.  Hence,  he  is  lost,  helpless,  and  undone. 
He  cannot  save  himself  by  any  human  expedient. 
If  he  is  saved  at  all,  it  must  be  by  some  method 
outside  of  what  he  can  do.  God,  in  his  infinite 
wisdom,  love,  and  mercy,  has  provided  a  method 
through  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ.  There 
is  no  other  way  or  ground  of  salvation.  There  is 
one  God  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  man, 
Christ  Jesus,  our  Mediator,  Advocate,  and  Inter- 
cessor. He  is  our  daysman,  the  only  person  in  the 
universe  qualified  for  this  great  undertaking  of 
reconciliation  and  pardon.  Christ,  being  equal 
with  God,  assumed  human  nature,  in  which  he 
exhibited  perfect  righteousness  and  obedience,  dy- 
ing the  death  of  the  cross,  which  sacrifice  was  ap- 
proved of  God  and  accepted  as  the  ground  of 
eternal  redemption  for  the  human  race.  "God 
was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them ;  and  hath 
committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation" 
(IT.  Cor.  5:19). 

36 


Justification 

Paul,  clearly  and  positively,  attributes  all  the 
phases  of  the  process  of  salvation  to  the  work  of 
Christ.  The  release  of  the  sinner  from  the  bond- 
age of  sin  is  included  in  the  term,  "redemption," 
as  used  by  the  apostle.  Christ  gave  himself  a 
ransom-price  for  all.  Keconciliation  is  obtained 
in  and  through  him  alone.  Sin  is  a  controversy 
between  man  and  God.  Man  has  transgressed  the 
divine  law  and  offended  God.  While  God  still 
loves  him.  His  very  holiness  compels  Him  to  con- 
demn his  wrong-doing.  Christ,  in  his  unique  per- 
sonality and  priestly  functions  as  the  divine  Man, 
became  the  divinely  accepted  Mediator,  thus  es- 
tablishing or  restoring  normal  personal  relations 
between  the  two  parties  at  variance,  conditioned 
upon  man's  response  to  this  divine  movement  in 
accepting  the  terms  offered.  Thus  Christ  puts  an 
end  to  this  controversy,  and  brings  penitent  sin- 
ners back  into  friendly  relations  with  God. 

The  jSTew  Testament  abounds  with  scripture 
statements  confirming  this  view  of  the  ground  and 
process  of  reconciliation.  "For  Christ  also  hath 
once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that 
he  might  bring  us  to  God"  (I.  Pet.  3:18). 
"Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 

37 


Justification 

law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us"  (Gal.  3:13).  But 
the  conclusive  and  inspiring  proof-text  is  found 
in  Eomans  5 : 1,  "Therefore  being  justified  by 
faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  The  Pauline  view  of  justification 
emphasizes  Christ's  death  as  the  basis  of  hifi 
mediatorial  work.  His  significant  formula  is, 
"Christ  died  for  our  sins."  How  Christ's  death 
helps  to  affect  the  salvation  of  sinners  is  a  ques- 
tion of  Scripture  interpretation.  Paul  does  not 
present  any  theory  about  it.  He  simply  makes  a 
statement  of  the  fact.  He  definitely  says  that 
Christ  died  in  our  behalf  and  on  behalf  of  our 
sins.  He  died  for  our  sins,  that  we  might  live. 
Beyond  this  statement  of  fact,  the  apostle  does, 
not  go  in  his  explanation  of  the  relation  between 
Christ's  death  and  personal  forgiveness  and  sal' 
vation. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Goodall,  in  speaking  of  the  covenant 
between  the  Father  and  Christ,  his  Son,  in  the 
plan  of  human  salvation,  says :  "The  Son  of  God, 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  takes  man's  place  and 
assumes  obligations  for  him.  In  His  person  and 
through  His  ministry,  the  purposes  of  God  are 
.brought  to  light,  and  the  dispensation  of  grace  is 

38 


Justification 

presented  to  the  world.  In  obedience  to  the  Fa- 
ther's will,  impelled  by  the  impulses  of  his  own 
heart,  Christ  entered  upon  his  divine-human  mis- 
sion. Alike  God  and  man,  the  Redeemer  lived, 
obeying  the  law  and  suffering  its  penalty.  For- 
giveness is  now  offered  through  him,  who  for  us 
^poured  out  his  soul  unto  death';  and  justifica- 
tion, through  imputed  righteousness,  is  proclaimed 
to  those  who  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  atonement  is  the  ground  of  pardon  and  the 
basis  of  divine  restoration." 

The  only  modification  of  the  above  excellent 
view  of  Christ's  sacrifice  as  the  only  ground  of 
pardon  which  we  choose  to  insist  upon,  is  that 
Christ's  suffering  was  a  substitute  for  the  penalty 
of  sin  rather  than  the  penalty  itself.  Without  en- 
tering into  a  theological  discussion  of  this  phase 
of  the  nature  of  Christ's  sufferings,  we  dare  not 
pass  without  the  statement  that  the  sacrificial  suf- 
ferings of  Christ  were  not  penal,  but  substitu- 
tional. For  Jesus  was  absolutely  sinless  and  holy. 
He  never  felt  the  sense  of  guilt.  He  never  for  a 
moment  lost  the  consciousness  of  his  innocence 
and  perfect  purity. 

Bishop  Merrill,  in  his  admirable  little  volume 

39 


Justification 

on  the  "Atonement,"  sets  forth  the  mystery  of 
the  mediatorial  sacrifice  of  Christ  in  such  clear 
language  that  his  own  words  cannot  be  improved 
by  the  writer  of  this  book :  "The  full  reason  for 
the  necessity  of  the  sacrifice  may  not  be  known 
to  us ;  but  this  we  know,  that  God  would  not  have 
required  it  without  good  reason.  It  was  certainly 
necessary  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  God's  gov- 
ernment and  his  authority  as  a  ruler,  while  ex- 
tending mercy  to  transgressors,  and  as  a  declara- 
tion of  righteousness,  and  also  to  bring  out  some 
phase  of  divine  character  which  could  not  have 
been  so  well  revealed  in  any  other  way.  But  these 
are  only  parts  of  his  reasons,  while  the  higher  mo- 
tives, hidden  in  the  depths  of  his  being  and  in  his 
relations  to  the  moral  universe,  are  quite  beyond 
the  reach  of  our  thought."  When  we  pass  from 
this  state  of  immaturity  to  the  completed  life  be- 
yond we  shall  understand  more  clearly  the  mystery 
of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 

Paul,  in  Eomans  4 :  25,  teaches  that  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  are  the 
foundation  of  our  justification.  "Who  was  deliv- 
ered for  our  offenses,  and  was  raised  again  for  our 
justification."    Death  was  the  delivering  over  of 

40 


Justification 

Christ,  our  vicarious  substitute,  to  the  claims  and 
demands  of  the  broken  law.  Resurrection  was 
the  deliverance  from  death,  and  the  divine  sign 
and  seal  of  his  acceptance  as  our  substitute  and 
surety.  This  is  the  plain  teaching  of  the  New 
Testament  writers  concerning  the  relation  of 
Christ  to  the  scheme  of  pardon  and  salvation. 
The  story  is  told  of  a  Russian  soldier  whose  ac- 
counts did  not  balance.  He  feared  the  merciless 
spirit  of  the  empire,  and  had  not  hope  of  receiv- 
ing any  leniency  for  his  wrong  accounts.  After 
repeated  failures  in  righting  his  balance-sheet,  h^ 
despairingly  gave  it  up  and  wrote  on  a  piece  of 
paper,  "Who  can  make  good  this  deficit?"  and 
then  fell  asleep.  The  czar,  passing  by  the  sleep- 
ing soldier,  curiously  read  the  paper,  took  up  the 
pen  and  wrote  underneath,  "I,  even  I,  Alex- 
ander." So  it  is  with  the  sinner  in  his  moral  and 
spiritual  bankruptcy.  He  stands  helpless  and  un- 
done before  the  broken  law  of  God.  In  despair 
and  dismay,  he  asks,  "Who  can  pay  my  debt  and 
relieve  my  bankruptcy  ?"  There  comes  down  from 
the  throne  of  God  the  voice  of  Christ,  the  cruci- 
fied, risen,  eternal,  mediatorial  King,  responding, 
"I,  even  I,  the  Lord  Jesus."    How  precious  and 

41 


Justification 

inspiring  is  that  Scripture  statement  concerning 
the  mediatorial  work  of  Christ,  as  the  ground  of 
our  justification,  "Who  died  for  our  sins  and  ros'g 
for  our  justification.'^ 

In  the  Pauline  epistles,  Christ  is  especially  and 
clearly  set  forth  as  the  second  Adam.  The  first 
Adam  was  the  federal  head  of  the  race.  In  hifi 
fall  the  race  lapsed  into  sin  and  unrighteousness. 
From  him  we  inherited  moral  corruption  and  spir- 
itual bankruptcy.  In  the  redemption  of  the  fallen 
race,  God  provided  a  new  Adam  in  the  person  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  whose  sacrifice  and 
mediation  we  may  regain  our  lost  estate  and  be 
restored  to  a  saved  relation  and  conscious  fellow- 
ship with  God.  We  are  accepted  in  Christ  the 
Beloved.  He  stands  for  us  in  the  sight  of  God. 
By  faith  in  Christ  and  the  new  birth,  we  are  so 
identified  with  him,  that  his  acts,  in  a  sense,  rep- 
resent us  for  whom  he  stands  before  God.  This 
is  the  fundamental  truth  of  redemption.  It  is 
clearly  taught  in  the  Xew  Testament  that,  as  in 
the  first  Adam,  man  fell  and  stands  condemned 
and  alienated  before  God,  so  in  Christ,  the  second 
Adam,  all  penitent  sinners  who  believe  in  him 
are  justified  and  reconciled.    It  would  be  well  if 

42 


Justification 

all  our  communicants,  and  especially  our  young 
people,  would  apprehend  and  maintain  the  Scrip- 
ture truth  that  the  merit  of  Christ  alone  is  the 
ground  of  pardon  and  salvation.  Men  in  all  ages 
of  the  world  were  counted  righteous  only  for  the 
merit  of  Christ  by  faith.  The  efficacy  and  influ- 
ence of  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  his  merits  in 
procuring  pardon  for  the  penitent  sinner,  reach 
back  to  the  fall  of  man  and  forward  to  the  end  of 
time.  A4I  who  lived  before  the  advent  of  Jesus 
were  justified  and  saved  upon  the  ground  of 
Christ's  merits.  All  believers  of  the  patriarchal 
and  Mosaic  periods  were  saved  upon  the  ground 
of  the  atonement  of  Christ  as  prefigured  in  the 
typical  sacrifices  offered.  Even  in  those  early 
periods,  the  justification  of  sinners  was  not  by 
works,  but  by  faith  in  Christ.  Paul  refers  to 
Abraham  as  an  illustration  of  this  truth.  He 
saw  the  day  of  Christ  and  was  glad.  The  atone- 
ment of  Christ  alone  is  clearly  the  ground  of  our 
pardon  and  salvation. 


43 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Condition-  of  Justification. 

Personal  salvation  is  conditioned  upon  the 
personal  action  of  its  recipient.  God  has  pro- 
vided pardon  and  forgiveness  of  sin  through 
Christ,  but  man  must  do  the  part  required  of  him 
for  its  attainment.  Unconditional  salvation  is 
both  absurd  and  inadmissible.  It  is  not  in  har- 
mony with  biblical  teaching,  neither  is  it  con- 
sistent with  man's  highest  welfare.  Since  salva- 
tion involves  spiritual  restoration,  regard  must  be 
paid  to  the  disposition  of  the  recipient.  It  is  con- 
ceded that  God  might  confer  it  in  pure  sover- 
eignty, without  the  choice  or  desire  of  the  one  re- 
ceiving it,  yet  such  bestowment  would  be  a  great 
wrong  to  the  recipient.  It  is,  therefore,  plain  that 
man  must  comply  with  such  condition  as  will  ren- 
der salvation  effectual  and  real. 

The  charge  that  the  gospel  condition  of  justi- 
fication and  salvation  is  hard  and  arbitrary  is 

44 


Justification 

groundless.  It  is  perfectly  consistent  with  divine 
love  and  tenderness.  The  divine  plan  is  reason- 
able and  beautiful,  in  that  its  conditions  have  re- 
spect alike  to  divine  claims  and  the  needs  of  hu- 
man character.  God's  right  to  impose  terms  is 
absolute.  Man's  duty  and  privilege  is  to  submit  to 
those  terms.  God  is  honored  in  the  conditions 
presented.  Man  is  ennobled  by  complying  with 
them.  The  divine  and  human  side  are  beautifully 
adjusted.  God  bestows  and  man  accepts.  The 
exercise  of  the  voluntary  principle  upon  the  part 
of  man  is  essential  to  his  highest  good  and  felicity. 
It  is  vitally  related  to  the  development  of  char- 
acter. Without  this  complete  submission  to  God's 
terms  of  salvation,  spiritual  renewal  is  truly  im- 
possible. 

The  Scriptures  clearly  and  positively  teach  that 
faith  is  the  real  and  only  condition  of  justification. 
Proof -texts  are  in  abundance.  "Therefore  being 
justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ"  (Rom.  5:1). 
Speaking  to  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Paul  says, 
"Be  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  breth- 
ren, that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you 
the  forgiveness  of  sins :  and  by  him  all  that  believe 

45 


Justification 

are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  you  could 
not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses"  (Acts  13; 
38,  39).  The  great  apostle  also  concludes  "that 
a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of 
the  law"  (Eom.  3:  28).  In  that  remarkable  pas- 
sage in  Galatians  3:8,  9,  the  same  writer  says, 
"And  the  scripture,  foreseeing  that  God  would 
justify  the  heathen  through  faith,  preached  before 
the  gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying.  In  thee  shall  all 
the  nations  be  blessed.  So  then  they  which  be  of 
faith  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham."  The 
apostle,  in  writing  to  the  Galatians,  was  careful 
to  renounce  all  trust  in  human  ability  and  merit 
for  salvation.  Christ,  the  sole  object  of  saving 
faith,  is  pressed  with  great  emphasis.  "Knowing 
that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  we  have  be- 
lieved in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified 
by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the  works  of 
the  law :  for  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh 
be  justified"  (Gal.  2:16).  The  creed  of  our 
Church  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  this  Scripture 
view.  It  is  as  follows,  "We  believe  that  penitent 
sinners  are  justified  before  God,  only  by  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  not  by  works,  yet  that 

46 


Justification 

good  works  in  Christ  are  acceptable  to  God  and 
spring  out  of  a  true  and  living  faith." 

Faith  is  not  only  the  condition,  but  also  the 
instrument  of  justification.  A  more  accurate  and 
clear  distinction  might  be  stated  in  regard  to  this 
doctrine  in  its  complete  aspect  and  relations.  The 
atonement  is  the  sole  ground  of  justification. 
Faith  is  the  condition  of  justification  and  the  in- 
strument of  regeneration.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
agent  of  regeneration.  Faith,  as  the  active  instru- 
ment, apprehends  Christ  as  its  object,  by  whose 
virtue  the  soul  of  the  penitent  believer  is  united 
with  him  and  made  conscious  of  its  acceptance 
under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Another 
form  of  stating  these  distinctions  may  be  helpful 
to  the  reader.  God's  love  is  the  originating  cause 
of  justification;  Christ's  atoning  sacrifice,  the 
meritorious  cause;  faith,  the  instrumental  cause; 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  efficient  cause.  God  in 
Christ  is  the  object  of  justifying  faith.  Speaking 
more  specifically,  Christ,  himself,  as  the  mediator 
and  intercessor,  is  the  object  of  such  faith.  Paul 
expresses  this  truth  in  Galatians  2:16,  "We  have 
believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified 
by  the  faith  of  Christ." 


Justification 

The  faith  that  leads  to  pardon  and  all  the  con- 
comitant blessings  of  justification,  is  what  may  be 
called  appropriating  faith.  Historical  faith, 
which  simply  includes  faith  in  certain  persons, 
facts,  and  events  mentioned  in  the  Bible  as  a  mat- 
ter of  history,  is  not  sufficient  to  bring  the  bless- 
ing of  forgiveness  of  sins  and  spiritual  restoration 
to  God.  Neither  is  there  saving  virtue  in  a  faith 
that  simply  believes  in  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Sav- 
iour of  the  world,  who  died  on  Calvary  for  sin- 
ners, but  which  does  not  accept  Christ  as  a  per- 
sonal Saviour.  Such  a  faith  is  insufficient, 
because  it  is  dead.  The  faith  that  is  the  condition 
and  instrument  of  forgiveness  and  reconciliation 
is  that  which  has  appropriating  power.  It  enables 
the  believer  to  take  salvation  home  to  himself.  It 
is  not  enough  to  believe  that  Christ  died  for  oth- 
ers. We  must  make  Christ's  sacrifice  for  us  per- 
sonal, and  accept  him  as  our  personal  Saviour. 
The  faith  essential  to  the  gift  of  pardon  and  sal- 
vation, is,  therefore,  a  personal  faith.  "A  faith 
which  will  disintegrate  us  from  the  mass,  and 
enable  us  to  take  Christ  home,  in  all  his  offices,  to 
our  own  business  and  our  own  bosoms."  We  must 
be  enabled  to  say,  if  we  would  realize  the  aston- 

48 


Justification 

ishing  cleansing  and  healing  efficacy  there  is  in 
the  gospel  of  God,  that  he  is  my  God,  of  the  Sav- 
iour, that  he  is  my  Saviour.  We  must  be  enabled 
to  lay  hold  of  the  blessed  promises  and  exclaim, 
"These  are  the  gift  of  my  Father,  these  are  the 
purchase  of  my  Saviour,  these  are  meant  for  me." 
Much  confusion  as  well  as  serious  differences 
have  come  from  the  interpretation  and  discussion 
of  the  relation  of  faith  and  works.  The  papal 
view  of  justification  by  works  alone  needs  only 
to  be  stated.  Its  absurdity  is  patent.  Paul  shows 
the  utter  impossibility  of  sinful  men  rendering 
perfect  obedience  to  the  law  of  God  throughout 
their  entire  life.  This  dogma  of  the  Romish 
Church,  so  powerful  in  its  grip  upon  that  ecclesi- 
astical body  to  this  day,  is  offset  by  the  scriptural 
truth  as  interpreted  by  Luther,  who  adopted  that 
memorable  formula,  "The  just  shall  live  by  faith." 
A  more  plausible  view,  which  has  many  advocates, 
is  that  justification  is  obtained  by  faith  and  works 
together;  but  this  is  evidently  not  in  harmony 
with  the  teaching  of  the  Bible  on  this  subject. 
*^By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith;  and  that 
not  of  yourselves:  it  is  the  gift  of  God:  not  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast"  (Eph.  2:8,  9). 

4  49 


JustificaUon 

"But  the  scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin, 
that  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might 
be  given  to  them  that  believe.  But  before  faith 
came,  we  were  kept  under  the  law,  shut  up  unto 
the  faith  which  should  afterwards  be  revealed. 
Wherefore  the  law  was  our  school-master  to  bring 
us  unto  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by 
faith"  (Gal.  3:22-24). 

There  is  a  vital  relation  between  faith  and 
works.  While  there  is  no  saving  merit  in  per- 
sonal obedience,  yet  it  is  true  that  "the  works  of 
faith  declare  the  life  and  reality  of  the  faith  that 
justifies."  Justification  obtained  through  faith  in 
Christ  is  retained  by  a  life  of  activity  and  obedi- 
ence. There  is  such  a  thing  as  "living"  faith. 
Eeferring  to  this  principle,  James  says,  "As  the 
body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without 
works  is  dead  also."  Much  perplexity  and  dis- 
cussion have  resulted  from  the  apparent  opposi- 
tion between  Paul  and  James  on  the  question  of 
justification.  Paul's  statement  is,  "Therefore  we 
conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without 
the  deeds  of  the  law."  James  declares  that,  "ye 
see  then  how  that  by  works  a  man  is  justified,  and 
not  by  faith  only."      These  two  statement  are 

50 


Justification 

easily  harmonized  if  we  take  them  in  their  connec- 
tion and  discover  the  kind  of  justification  to 
which  each  writer  refers.  It  must  be  kept  in  mind 
that  two  distinct  forms  of  justification  are  treated 
in  this  connection.  Paul  has  reference  to  the  for- 
giveness of  sins ;  James,  to  that  of  a  life  of  obedi- 
(^nce  approved  of  God.  The  former  emphasizes 
faith  without  works;  the  latter  lays  stress  upon 
works  as  the  evidence  of  true  and  living  faith. 

Serious  objections  have  been  urged  against  faith 
as  the  sole  condition  of  pardon.  A  few  of  these 
are  noted: 

1.  Faith  is  unreasonable.  But  there  is  no  an- 
tithesis between  faith  and  reason.  The  capacity 
for  faith  as  much  lies  in  the  human  constitution 
as  that  of  reason.  Faith  is  essential  in  all  the 
spheres  of  life,  and  has  a  legitimate  place  in  our 
religions.  Man  is  a  moral  being,  and,  as  such, 
may  have  confidence  in  God.  Nothing  is  more, 
appropriate  than  man  exercising  trust  in  his. 
Creator. 

2.  Faith,  not  being  a  matter  of  will  is,  there- 
fore, not  obligatory.  But  the  sinner  may  know 
Christ,  the  true  ground  and  object  of  trust.  In- 
deed, true  evangelical  faith  is  voluntary.    It  in- 

51 


Justification 

eludes  the  willing,  deliberate  commitment  of  the 
soul  to  Christ,  the  object  trusted.  The  Bible 
teaches  that  unbelief  is  willful  and  deliberate,  and 
is,  therefore,  sinful.  It  is  wicked  to  refuse  to  trust 
God. 

3.  Why  make  faith  the  condition  of  accept- 
ance? The  answer  is,  that  God  desires  our  confi- 
dence. He  invites  our  affectionate  and  loyal  faith 
in  him  and  his  promises.  For  God  to  bestow 
blessings  upon  those  who  distrust  him  would  be 
unwise  and  unrighteous. 

4.  Since  faith  is  so  important,  it  must  be  meri- 
torious; but  it  has  no  intrinsic  value  as  a  saving 
force.  It  is  only  the  instrument  of  salvation. 
Christ  is  the  source,  ground,  and  agent  of  par- 
don, spiritual  cleansing,  and  restoration.  Faith, 
though  essential,  is  only  a  condition  of  salvation. 

5.  On  the  theory  of  salvation  by  faith  alone, 
works  are  of  no  value,  and  yet  the  Scriptures  en- 
join works  upon  men  and  declare  that  they  are 
justified  by  good  deeds.  But  this  position  is  as- 
sumed by  those  who  fail  to  apprehend  the  true  na- 
ture of  evangelical  faith,  as  an  operative  principle. 
As  we  have  previously  suggested,  what  James  con- 
vdemns  is  a  faith  that  shows  its  falseness  by  its  un- 

52 


Justification 

fruitfulness.  His  conception  of  good  works  in- 
cludes not  only  the  idea  or  fact  of  outward 
morality,  but  also  such  personal  activity  and  obedi- 
ence as  evidence  and  certify  faith.  Neither  did 
Paul  depreciate  the  importance  and  value  of  good 
deeds,  in  enforcing  the  exercise  of  personal  faith 
as  the  only  condition  of  pardon  and  reconciliation. 
The  glorious  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
alone  is  the  fundamental  truth  taught  in  the 
Bible,  and  especially  in  the  New  Testament.  It 
was  the  secret  of  the  spiritual  power  of  the  early 
church.  It  was  the  key-note  of  the  Reformation, 
and  is  to-day  one  of  the  great  vital  fundamental 
truths  of  the  Word  of  God  which  should  be  held 
sacredly  and  proclaimed  courageously  by  every 
true  servant  of  Jesus  Christ. 

"Save  us   by  grace,   through   faith   alone, — 
A  faith  thou  must  thyself  impart ; 
A  faith  that  would  by  works  be  shown, 
A  faith  that  purifies  the  heart." 

Another  distinction  should  be  clearly  made. 
'Faith  is  not  only  the  sole  condition  of  justifica- 
tion, but  it  is  also  the  necessary  condition.  There 
can  be  no  pardon  and  acceptance  without  it.  '^He 
that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already."     And 

53 


Justification 

so  long  as  the  sinner  refuses  to  exercise  saving 
faith  in  Christ  he  stands  accused  and  unacquitted 
before  the  law  of  God.  Jesus  is  the  only  name 
given  under  heaven  whereby  we  may  be  saved. 
The  sacrifice  and  life  of  Christ  is  the  only  merit 
by  which  a  sinner  accused  and  condemned  can  be 
delivered  from  guilt.  Personal  faith  in  Christ  is 
essential  to  personal  salvation.  Without  this 
faith,  we  are  "aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of 
Israel,  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise, 
having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world." 
Mr.  Wesley,  in  speaking  of  faith  as  the  only  con- 
dition of  justification,  says:  "We  mean  thereby 
this  much,  that  it  is  the  only  thing,  without  which 
no  one  is  justified;  the  only  thing  that  is  immedi- 
ately, indispensably,  absolutely  requisite  in  order 
to  pardon.  As,  on  the  one  hand,  though  a  man 
should  have  everything  else  without  faith,  yet  he 
cannot  be  justified;  so  on  the  other  hand,  though 
he  be  supposed  to  want  everything  else,  yet  if  he 
hath  faith,  he  cannot  but  be  justified." 

The  Scriptures  emphasize  the  truth  that  there  is 
no  righteousness  or  salvation  antecedent  to  the 
exercise  of  evangelical  faith.  Then  the  faith  that 
brings  pardon  and  salvation  is  specific  and  pe- 

54 


Justification 

culiar.  It  consents  to  receive  peace  with  God  on 
his  terms,  and  at  the  same  time  fixes  itself  on 
Christ  as  its  object.  It  is  more  than  belief.  It 
is  trust.  Belief  has  respect  to  things.  Trust  has 
reference  to  persons.  Belief  is  intellectual  assent 
to  certain  truths,  and  consent  to  certain  historical 
facts.  Faith  is  resting  on  Christ  and  trusting  in 
him  for  help.  Evangelical  faith  lays  hold  of  the 
person  of  Christ.  It  takes  him  as  its  friend,  and 
trustfully  commits  the  soul  to  Christ  as  its  per- 
sonal and  all-sufficient  Saviour.  This  kind  of 
faith  is  the  human  condition  of  reconciliation 
with  God.  Such  faith  excludes  all  self -trust  and 
gladly  accepts  the  grounds  of  pardon  and  peace 
without  any  effort  or  disposition  to  amend  them 
or  to  plead  any  personal  merit.  It  may  be  ex- 
pressed in  the  Scripture  formula,  "Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 

Dr.  Miley,  in  describing  what  is  distinctive  of 
the  faith  which  is  unto  justification,  says:  "In 
the  approach  to  its  exercise  there  is  a  profound 
sense  of  need.  There  is  the  sense  of  sin  and  peril ; 
and  with  it  the  sense  of  utter  self -helplessness.  In 
the  stress  of  such  an  exigency  the  soul  looks  to 
Christ  and  believingly  apprehends  in  him  the  sal- 

55 


Justification 

vation  which  it  so  much  needs.  It  apprehends  not 
only  the  fullness  of  his  grace,  but  also  its  free- 
ness;  not  only  that  he  is  mighty  to  save,  but  also 
that  he  graciously  waits  to  save.  Here,  then,  is 
the  most  assuring  trustworthiness.  The  act  of 
trust  is  still  wanting,  but  the  soul  is  ready  for  it. 
Now,  in  the  apprehension  of  Christ  in  his  atone- 
ment, and  in  the  fullness  and  freeness  of  his 
grace,  the  soul  trustingly  rests  in  him  for  the 
needed  salvation,  and  thereon  receives  the  forgive- 
ness of  sin.  This  is  justification  by  faith.  And 
such  is  the  distinctive  character  of  the  faith  which 
is  unto  justification." 

This  divine  provision  and  scheme  for  the  relief 
and  deliverance  of  the  awakened  penitent  sinner 
is  beautiful  and  inspiring.  It  meets  the  necessity 
of  the  case  and  affords  real,  thorough,  instant, 
conscious  relief  and  release  from  the  condemna- 
tion of  sin.  What  riches  of  divine  wisdom  and 
grace  are  displayed  in  this  wonderful  provision ! 
We  need  not  be  surprised  at  the  apostle's  anthem 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving  concerning  those  who 
are  accepted  in  the  Beloved.  "In  whom  we  have 
redemption,  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace." 

56 


CHAPTER  V. 

History  of  the  Doctrine  of  Justification. 

It  may  be  helpful  to  give  here  a  brief  history 
of  the  doctrine  of  justification,  in  order  to  indi- 
cate the  prominence  it  has  had  in  the  theological 
conceptions  of  men  in  all  the  ages  from  Saint 
Paul  to  the  present  time.  The  great  apostle's 
teaching  concerning  this  doctrine,  as  especially  set 
forth  in  his  epistles  to  the  Eomans  and  Galatians, 
is  clear,  definite,  and  positive.  The  writings  of 
the  apostolic  fathers  alluded  to  the  doctrine  of 
pardon  and  forgiveness  of  sin  through  the  grace 
of  God.  While  they  did  not  have  a  firm  grasp 
of  the  N"ew  Testament  teaching  concerning  Justi- 
fication, yet  it  was  never  without  advocates.  The 
tendency  of  the  fathers  towards  legalism,  which 
may  be  defined  as  salvation  through  right  con- 
duct and  works  of  obedience,  is  easily  explained. 
Paul  stoutly  resisted  the  Pharisaic  theology, 
svhich  laid  the  emphasis  upon  works  of  obedience 

57 


Justification 

as  essential  to  salvation.  He  sharply  defined 
evangelical  justification  so  as  to  leave  no  room 
for  the  doctrine  of  salvation  through  personal 
obedience. 

Such  writers  as  Irenaeus,  Clement  of  Alexandria, 
and  Origen,  though  not  opposed  to  the  teaching  of 
Paul,  gravitated  to  the  other  extreme  of  blending 
faith  and  obedience  in  justification.  But  the  can- 
did student  of  history  must  admit  that,  after  al- 
lowing for  all  the  differences  of  phraseology  and 
the  influence  of  current  errors,  the  fathers  based 
their  view  of  this  doctrine  upon  a  real  harmony 
of  the  teachings  of  Paul  and  James.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  they  held  to  the  scriptural  truth  of  the 
justification  of  the  believer  through  faith  alone, 
which  is  evidenced  and  certified  to  by  a  holy  life. 

The  doctrine  of  justification  was  not  set  forth 
in  the  church  as  a  dogma  until  the  Reformation. 
During  the  Middle  Ages,  the  Augustinian  view  of 
this  doctrine  found  many  advocates.  Augustine 
held  that  justification  was  equivalent  to  making 
righteous.  This  tendency  of  thought  was  carried 
all  through  the  mediaeval  period.  This  funda- 
mental error  was  based  upon  a  misapprehension  of 
the  idea  of  justification.     It  made  the  believer 

58 


Justification 

himself  righteous,  instead  of  making  the  declara- 
tion of  his  righteousness.  Thus  there  existed  the 
confusion  of  objective  and  subjective  righteous- 
ness; that  is,  sanctification  and  justification  were 
blended  into  one  and  the  same  thing,  or,  rather, 
justification  included  sanctification.  And  yet  it 
should  be  said  to  the  credit  of  the  schoolmen  of 
that  period  that,  notwithstanding  this  confusion 
and  error,  they  faithfully  held  to  the  Scripture 
doctrine  of  the  "sinner's  acceptance  with  God  on 
the  sole  ground  of  the  Redeemer's  finished  work." 

The  dawn  of  the  Reformation  also  revealed  an- 
other tendency,  called  mysticism,  which  gave  col- 
oring to  the  doctrine  of  justification,  as  well  as 
to  all  the  others  included  in  the  scheme  of  redemp- 
tion. According  to  Pope,  "the  characteristic  prin- 
ciple of  mysticism  was  the  absorbing  desire  after 
union  with  God.  It  made  Christ's  internal  union 
with  the  soul  the  secret  of  its  righteousness.  It 
did  not  entirely  neglect,  but  it  made  entirely  sub- 
ordinate, the  virtue  of  the  atonement  as  reckoned 
to  the  soul  for  present  and  eternal  acceptance." 

The  papal  conception  of  justification  before  and 
after  the  Reformation,  ignored  the  distinction  be- 
tween justification  and  sanctification.    Rome  held 

59 


Justification 

that  justification  is  a  process  rather  than  an  act; 
that  it  makes  the  believer  actually  righteous,  and 
that  justification,  regeneration,  and  renewal  are 
made  one. 

The  Council  of  Trent,  which  was  said  to  be  the 
protest  of  Eome  against  Protestantism,  among 
other  things,  dealt  with  the  subject  of  justifica- 
tion. This  was  one  of  the  chief  questions  which 
it  sought  to  settle.  But  its  failure  to  set  at  rest 
this  much-disputed  doctrine  was  patent.  This 
was  inevitable,  as  the  position  of  Rome  on  this 
subject  was  at  variance  with  the  teaching  of  the 
Xew  Testament.  It  was  left  for  Luther  to  adopt 
the  Pauline  view  of  justification  and  clear  away 
the  theological  fog  and  error  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  The  Council  of  Trent  even  went  so  far 
as  to  lay  down  the  principle  that  there  was  a  con- 
nection between  the  sacrament  of  baptism  and  jus- 
tification. But  this  position  underwent  impor- 
tant modification.  It  is  mentioned  here  simply 
to  indicate  how  much  confusion  there  was  at  that 
time  as  to  the  true  Scripture  basis  of  this  doc- 
trine. It  is,  indeed,  surprising  how,  sometimes, 
theologians  and  schoolmen,  for  whom  we  have 
great  respect,  both  for  their  scholarship  and  use- 

60 


Justification 

fulness  in  the  development  and  interpretation  of 
Christian  doctrine,  have  amended  and  obscured  the 
truths  of  the  Bible,  to  the  confusion  and  per- 
plexity of  the  common  people.  But  no  gem  of 
Scripture  truth,  however  much  it  may  have  been 
buried  and  hidden  in  the  debris  of  the  theological 
discussions  of  the  ages,  has  been  entirely  lost. 
God  takes  care  of  his  truth,  and  in  his  own  time 
and  way  he  brings  it  forth  out  of  the  rubbish  of 
human  statement  and  dispels  the  clouds  that  ob- 
scure it,  so  that  it  shines  forth  again  in  its  orig- 
inal simplicity  and  beauty.  So  God  gave  Luther 
a  clear  vision  of  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication, which  he  seized  as  a  precious  gem,  and 
held  it  up  before  the  thought  of  his  age  in  all 
of  its  brilliancy  and  preciousness.  Glorious,  in- 
deed, was  that  immortal  statement,  "The  just 
shall  live  by  faith." 

The  purpose  of  this  volume  will  not  admit  of  an 
elaborate  description  of  all  the  varieties  of  Prot- 
estant opinion  during  and  subsequent  to  the  Ref- 
ormation, for  the  differences  of  opinion  as  to  both 
the  ground  and  nature  of  justification  were  nu^ 
merous  and  wide.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  gen- 
eral Protestant  doctrine,  simply  stated,  was  that 

61 


Justification 

justification  is  objective,  judicial,  and  instan- 
taneous. Its  sole  ground  is  the  atonement,  and 
its  only  condition  is  faith  in  Christ. 

Modern  theologians  in  the  Protestant  church 
have  long  been  divided  into  two  general  schools 
concerning  the  atonement  and  justification,  to 
which  it  is  vitally  related.  These  are  commonly 
named  Calvinism  and  Arminianism.  In  Calvin- 
ism, the  atonement  in  Christ  is  the  ground  of  jus- 
tification, but  in  a  manner  different  from  that 
held  by  the  Arminians.  The  former  holds  the 
view  of  forensic  justification,  which  means  a  di- 
vine declaration  of  righteousness.  This  implies 
that  those  who  are  thus  declared  righteous  must 
be  such  in  fact.  Hence,  the  sinner  must,  first,  be 
made  righteous  in  order  to  a  judicial  declaration 
of  the  same.  This  involves  the  imputation  of  the 
active  personal  righteousness  of  Christ  to  the  be- 
liever. Those  who  hold  to  the  Arminian  view  can- 
not see  the  need  of  the  imputation  of  Christ's  per- 
sonal righteousness,  since  the  vicarious  sacrifice 
of  Christ  forms  the  basis  for  the  reception  of  all 
the  blessings  of  a  complete  salvation.  It,  there- 
fore, denies  the  imputation  of  the  active,  personal 
righteousness  of  Christ  as  an  element  in  our  jus- 

62 


Justification 

tification.  The  Arminian  view,  as  stated  at  pres- 
ent, is  that  the  vicarious  sufferings  of  Christ  were 
not  the  actual  penalty  of  sin,  but  a  substitute  for 
penalty,  in  order  that  sin  might  be  actually  for- 
given. In  this  sense,  they  held  that  the  atonement 
of  Christ  is  the  real  and  only  ground  of  justifica- 
tion. This  view  accords  with  Saint  Paul's  teach- 
ing. "Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus"  (Rom. 
3 :  24) .  This  is  the  view  held  by  our  own  Church. 
Pardon  or  forgiveness  of  sin  is  purely  an  act  of 
/^'race,  which  is  the  expression  and  provision  of 
God's  infinite  love  and  mercy. 

Bishop  Weaver,  in  his  book,  "Christian  The- 
ology," clearly  and  fairly  states  the  belief  of  our 
Church  on  this  subject,  as  follows:  "The  right- 
eousness reckoned  to  a  justified  person  is  not  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  but  a  gracious 
gift  from  God  on  account  of  the  perfect  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  Christ  had  a  righteousness  which 
was  peculiar  to  itself.  It  was  absolute,  while  that 
of  man  was  relative.  The  transfer  of  Christ's 
personal  righteousness  to  man  is  impossible,  and, 
even  if  it  were  possible,  man  could  not  use  it. 
Because  the  consequences  of  Christ's  active  and 


Justification 

passive  obedience  are  reckoned  to  the  believer,  we 
are  not  thence  to  conclude  that  his  personal  right- 
eousness is  imputed.  Justification,  on  the  one 
condition  of  faith  in  Christ  as  the  atoning  sacri- 
fice, is  a  work  of  grace.  It  does  not  come  to  a 
penitent  believer  as  a  reward  of  merit,  but  as  a 
free  and  gracious  gift." 

The  modern  errors  concerning  the  sinner's  ac- 
ceptance with  God  are  palpable  and  numerous. 
Socinianism  denies  the  divinity  of  Christ,  but  con- 
fesses that  he  was  more  than  a  mere  man,  al- 
though he  did  not  possess  a  divine  nature.  It, 
therefore,  rejects  the  vicarious  atonement  of 
Christ.  This,  of  course,  seriously  affects  the  orth- 
odox view  of  evangelical  justification.  Modern 
Unitarianism  also  holds  the  same  general  concep- 
tion of  Christ  in  his  relation  to  human  salvation. 
Universalism  maintains  that  all  souls  will  finally 
be  saved,  that  evil  is  temporary,  and  that  good  is 
permanent  and  will  achieve  a  complete  and  per- 
fect triumph  over  all  sin  and  iniquity.  It  makes 
Christ's  nature  identical  with  God's.  It  accords 
Christ  the  relationship  of  a  Son,  and  ascribes  to 
him  the  office  of  a  mediator.  It  also  holds  that 
man,  being  made  in  the  image,  is  therefore  a  child 

64 


Justification 

of  God.  Whatever  man  does  or  suffers,  he  is  still 
God's  child.  Man  will  finall}'  forsake  evil  and 
choose  righteousness,  and  God,  in  his  infinite  love, 
will  restore  the  penitent  sinner  and  welcome  the 
returning  prodigal.  This  rejection  of  the  doc- 
trine of  God,  reconciled  to  man  through  a  pro- 
pitiation, is,  however,  not  in  harmony  with  the 
teaching  of  the  Bible.  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  in 
the  eighteenth  century,  held  that  God  is  a  single 
person.  He  rejected  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
the  full  divinity  of  Christ,  and  the  substitutionary 
atonement.  This  led  him  to  denounce  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  alone. 

This  Bible  doctrine  has  also  been  attacked  and 
ignored  by  the  rationalism  of  France  and  Ger- 
many. Especially  has  the  modem  theological 
thought  of  Germany  been  divided  as  to  the  fact 
of  revelation,  and,  therefore,  upon  this  funda- 
mental truth  of  the  inspired,  revealed  Word  of 
God. 

The  various  forms  of  modern  mysticism,  many 
of  which  are  evangelical  in  their  love  and  loyalty 
to  Christ,  are  full  of  error  respecting  the  doctrine 
of  divine  pardon  and  evangelical  justification. 
However  precious  the  biblical  truth  of  the  in- 

6  65 


Justification 

dwelling  Christ  may  be,  yet  to  hold,  as  many 
mystics  do,  that  such  a  union  is  the  formal  cause 
of  our  justification,  is  at  variance  with  the  New 
Testament  teaching  concerning  the  atonement  of 
Christ  as  the  sole  ground  of  pardon  and  salva- 
tion. Pope,  with  great  discriminating  charity, 
happily  sums  up  this  entire  difficult  subject  by 
saying,  "There  are  very  many  who  in  words  reject 
the  double  formula  of  Christ  for  us  and  Christ  in 
us,  but  nevertheless  embrace  it  in  fact  with  all 
their  hearts.  But  whether  accepted  or  rejected, 
it  is  the  final  truth  on  the  whole  subject  of  Chris- 
tian righteousness.'^ 


66 


CHAPTEE  VI. 
The  Fruits  op  Justification. 

It  has  been  thought  by  many  Christians  that 
justification  is  a  dry  doctrine,  and  that  it  is  a 
topic  to  be  studied  in  the  schools  and  considered 
only  by  theologians;  but  this  is  a  misapprehen- 
sion. It  has  a  practical  bearing  upon  Christian 
life  and  experience.  Xo  one  can  carefully  study 
it  as  set  forth  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Eomans  and 
not  be  filled  with  inspiration  and  delight.  The- 
soul  bounds  with  joy  in  discovering  and  receiving 
the  rich  concurrent  blessing  which  justification, 
carries  with  it. 

Paul,  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Romans,  presents* 
the  glorious  theme  of  the  life  of  the  justified.  It 
is  a  joy  to  follow  him  as  he  unfolds  the  moral  and 
spiritual  results  of  justification  in  the  experience 
of  the  believer.  Says  Professor  Moule,  in  this 
connection:  The  apostle  "lays  deep,  indeed,  the 
foundations  of  law  and  atonement,  but  he  does  it 

67 


Justification 

in  the  manner  of  a  man  who  is  not  drawing  the 
plan  of  a  refuge,  but  calling  his  reader  from  the 
.tempest  into  what  is  not  only  a  refuge,  but  a 
jhome.  He  does  not  discuss  it  in  isolation.  He 
;5pends  his  fullest,  largest,  and  most  loving  exposi- 
tions on  its  intense  and  vital  connection  with  con- 
ijurrent  truths.  He  is  about  now  to  take  us 
through  a  noble  vestibule,  into  the  sanctuary  of 
a  life  of  the  accepted,  the  life  of  union^  of  sur- 
render, of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  law-aspect  of  justification  is  fundamental 
and  antecedent  in  the  order  of  thought  and  rela- 
tion. Pardon  or  forgiveness  is  included  in  the 
first  legal  transaction  of  justification;  but  other 
blessings  are  the  fruit  of  this  wonderful  achieve- 
ment. 

1.  Peace  is  one  of  the  fruits  of  justification. 
It  results  from  the  changed  relationship  between 
the  believer  and  God.  There  is  no  longer  any  con- 
troversy between  the  sinner  and  God.  Eeconcilia- 
tion  has  been  effected  through  faith  in  Christ. 
Out  of  this,  friendly  affections  spring,  and  by  rea- 
son of  it  there  is  a  changed  attitude  on  both  sides. 
This  brings  the  blessing  of  covenant  peace  to  the 
believer.    All  condemnation  is  removed,  and  the 

08 


Justification 

penitent  believer,  though  not  innocent,  is  treated 
for  Christ's  sake  as  if  he  were.  This  is  a  blessed 
peace.  What  must  it  be  to  be  freed  from  the  storm 
of  conscious  guilt  and  condemnation  and  enter 
into  the  haven  of  divine  composure  and  assurance 
in  Christ.  With  what  exultation  the  apostle  de- 
scribed this  glorious  blessing.  ''Therefore  being 
justified  by  faith  we  have  peace  with  God."  Our 
life  is  in  and  from  the  Beloved,  in  whom  we  are 
accepted.  And  this  life  is  one  of  peace,  w^hich 
flows  through  the  soul  as  a  river.  In  the  posses- 
sion of  this  divine  composure  and  tranquillity  of 
soul,  let  no  Christian  put  a  low  estimate  upon  the 
fact  and  experience  of  justification,  for  springing 
from  it  is  personal  assurance  experienced  in  and 
through  faith  in  God  in  all  the  situations  of  life. 
The  joy  of  this  inward  conscious  comfort  and 
peace  consequent  upon  our  access  to  the  pardon- 
ing grace  of  God  is  exceedingly  precious. 

2.  Life  union  with  the  Lord  is  another  issue 
of  justification.  The  apostle  advances  from  the^ 
law-aspect  of  our  acceptance  to  the  life-aspect: 
of  our  part  in  Christ's  resurrection-life.  "For 
if,  while  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled 
to    God   through   the   death   of   his   Son,   much 


Justification 

more,  being  reconciled  shall  we  be  saved  by  his 
life"  (Rom.  5: 10,  E.  V.).  We  are  brought  into 
union  with  the  risen  Christ,  who  lives  for  us  and 
in  us,  and  we  in  him.  We  are  not  only  accused 
men,  transformed  into  friends  of  the  law  and  Law- 
giver, but  we  are  also  quickened  from  a  state  of 
spiritual  death  through  the  power  of  the  living 
Christ  and  brought  in  spiritual  union  with  his 
mighty  life.  This  law-aspect  and  life-aspect,  of 
which  we  have  just  spoken,  though  distinct  in  the 
order  of  thought,  yet  are  intimately  related.  "The 
justifying  sacrifice  procures  the  possibility  of  our 
regeneration  into  the  life  of  Christ." 

3.  Liberty.  Sin  is  slavery.  It  exercises  merci- 
less dominion  over  the  sinner.  But  now  the  Lord 
has  met  the  claims  of  sin  in  our  justification,  and 
has  liberated  us  from  that  tyrant.  "For  sin  shall 
not  have  dominion  over  you :  for  ye  are  not  under 
the  law,  but  under  grace"  (Rom.  6:14).  We 
are  not  only  pardoned  of  all  our  offenses,  but  we 
are  also  brought  into  perfect  freedom,  in  which 
we  are  joyful  servants  of  Christ.  Jesus  paid  the 
ransom  price  for  us,  even  his  own  precious  blood. 
Hence,  we  are  not  our  own,  but  his  property.  Our 
.slavery  now  is  consistent  with  the  highest  and 

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fullest  freedom.  Paul  counted  himself  a  prisoner 
of  Christ,  in  the  sense  of  gladly  doing  his  bid- 
ding; and  yet  the  apostle  was  delivered  from  the 
bondage  of  sin  and  released  from  the  sentence  of 
condemnation.  So,  as  a  fruit  of  justification,  we 
are  emancipated  from  the  dominion  and  power  of 
sin,  and  brought  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
gospel, 

4.  The  fruit  of  justification  is  a  life  of  holi- 
ness and  good  works.  Paul  taught  the  vital  rela- 
tion between  justification  by  faith  and  holy  living 
upon  the  part  of  the  justified.  "Being  made  free 
from  sin,  and  become  servants  to  God,  ye  have 
your  fruit  unto  holiness."  This  is  in  harmony 
with  the  teaching  of  our  fathers.  Our  Church 
holds  fast  to  the  standard  as  set  forth  in  our  Con- 
fession of  Faith.  We  define  justification  before 
God  to  be  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
not  by  works,  and  we  hold  that  "good  works  in 
Christ  are  acceptable  to  God  and  spring  out  of  a 
true  and  living  faith." 

The  Pauline  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
without  works  does  not  encourage,  as  some  would 
assert,  indolence  and  license  to  a  life  of  disobedi- 
ence.   It  rather  leads  to  obedience  and  holy  living. 

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The  apostle,  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Romans, 
shows  how  our  acceptance  through  Christ's  media- 
torial sacrifice  is  in  vital  connection  with  our  life 
in  the  risen  Christ.  The  believer  is  not  only  justi- 
fied in  Christ,  but  he  is  still  in  Christ  as  the 
resurrection-life.  The  justified  has  the  life  of 
the  Justifier,  and  being  clothed  with  the  power 
of  this  new,  risen  life,  he  goes  forth  under  its 
impulsion  to  a  career  of  holiness  and  Christian 
service.  Justification  is  thus  not  an  end,  but  a 
means  to  an  end.  We  have  received  the  ministry 
of  reconciliation  that  we  might  walk  in  the  new- 
ness of  light.  We  have  been  released  from  the 
prison-house  of  sin,  not  to  depart  from  God,  but 
to  honor  and  serve  him  as  his  free,  loving  chil- 
dren. The  relationship  is  plain  and  vital.  The 
fruit  of  justification,  which  God  expects,  is  holi- 
ness and  obedience.  Since  we  are  justified,  we  are 
to  be  holy,  separated  from  sin  unto  God.  This  is 
its  meaning  and  purpose.  We  are  justified  that 
we  might  be  holy.  Why  should  the  sinner  accept 
the  grace  of  justification  and  then  live  unto  him- 
self? The  fruit  of  the  tree  should  be  that  for 
which  it  exists. 
Professor    Moule,    in    commenting   upon    the 

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Justification 

fruits  of  the  new  life  of  the  justified  in  union 
with  Christ,  says:  "It  gives  him  a  new  power 
with  which  to  live  a  grateful  life;  a  power  reside 
ing  not  in  justification  itself,  but  in  what  it  opens 
up.  It  is  the  gate  through  which  he  passes  to  the 
fountain ;  it  is  the  wall  which  ramparts  the  foun- 
tain, the  roof  which  shields  him  as  he  drinks. 
The  fountain  is  his  justifying  Lord,  exalted  life,, 
his  risen  life,  poured  into  the  man's  being  by 
the  Spirit,  who  is  head  and  member  one.  And  it 
is  as  justified,  that  he  has  access  to  the  fountain,, 
and  drinks  as  deep  as  he  will  of  its  life,  its  power^ 
its  purity." 

Nothing  is  more  clearly  taught  in  the  !N"ew  Tes- 
tament than  that  Christian  life  is  a  life  of  faith 
unto  good  works.  Jesus  taught  the  duty  and 
value  of  personal  obedience  and  service.  A  life 
of  consecration  can  only  begin  after  the  penitent 
sinner  has  been  reconciled  to  God  and  his  guilt 
canceled.  Then  his  new  relation  and  new  life 
should  be  marked  with  the  fruits  of  holiness  and 
Christian  activity. 

5.  Justification  includes  pardon  of  sins,  res- 
toration to  divine  fellowship  and  friendship,  heir- 
ship with  Christ,  hope  of  the  future  life,  and  the 

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Justification 

complete  redemption  of  the  soul  and  body,  to- 
gether with  the  believer's  final  glorification  in 
heaven.  This  gives  a  new  phase  to  everything,, 
both  for  time  and  for  eternity.  It  changes  the 
aspect  of  the  present  life,  in  that  it  gives  us  a 
vision  of  God  as  our  father,  our  friend,  and  our 
beneficent  lawgiver.  He  appears  no  longer  as  our 
judicial  adversary.  Our  hearts  are  no  longer  op- 
pressed with  a  sense  of  his  displeasure  and  disap- 
proval, but  are  now  in  pacific  relations  with  him. 
His  justice  and  mercy  alike  are  revealed  and 
maintained  in  our  forgiveness  through  the  merit 
of  his  Son's  expiation. 

This  transforms  the  present  life  and  gives  a 
new  meaning  to  our  troubles  and  strange  experir 
ences.  Before  our  reconciliation  and  peace  with 
God,  our  afflictions  seemed  to  be  the  signs  of  dif 
vine  displeasure;  but  now  the  war  is  ended,  thi? 
controversy  is  over,  friendship  is  established. 
There  is  a  clearer  vision  of  God  as  a  wise,  gra* 
cious  father,  into  whose  spiritual  household  wc 
have  been  introduced  and  adopted  as  his  chil- 
dren. We  have  even  the  spirit  of  childship,  which 
enables  us  to  cry,  "Abba,  Father."  Storms,  mis- 
fortunes, and  afflictions  still  come,  but  they  are 

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Justification 

the  test  of  our  faith  and  devotion.  We  are  now 
in  the  school  of  discipline  which  develops  char- 
acter and  braces  our  hearts  to  a  manly,  heroic 
faith  that  evidences  and  certifies  to  our  loyalty 
to  Christ,  who  "died  for  our  sins  and  rose  for 
our  justification/'  In  such  an  experience,  we  may 
even  rejoice  in  tribulations,  yea,  glory  in  them. 
In  the  assurance  of  our  standing  before  God  and 
our  acceptance  for  Christ's  sake,  we  are  made  to 
"glory  in  tribulations  also :  knowing  that  tribula- 
tion worketh  patience;  and  patience,  experience; 
€,TLd  experience,  hope;  and  hope  maketh  not 
ashamed;  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad 
in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given 
unto  us." 

The  future  is  also  transformed.  We  are  no 
longer  estranged  from  God.  Darkness  is  lifted 
and  dispelled  from  our  existence.  Our  feet  are 
no  longer  in  the  pit  and  the  miry  clay,  but  rest 
upon  a  rock,  while  the  song  of  anticipation  and 
hope  fills  our  heart.  What  will  not  God  do  for 
those  for  whom  he  was  willing  to  die!  With 
Jehovah  on  our  side  and  the  mighty  life  of  Christ 
in  us,  what  must  be  in  store  for  the  believer !  His 
peace  is  assured,  his  protection  is  vouchsafed,  and 

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Justification 

his  destiny  is  glorious.  He  has  a  right  to  have 
boundless  anticipations  of  the  glories  and  splen- 
dor of  the  immortal  life.  If  God  be  for  us,  who 
can  be  against  us  ?  If  God  spared  not  his  beloved 
Son,  what  will  he  not  freely  give  us?  What  as- 
pirations of  holiness  and  perfection  will  he  not 
satisfy  ?  What  a  rich  inheritance  awaits  the  justi- 
fied in  the  glorified  state  in  heaven !  Such  a  won- 
derful achievement  as  the  reconciliation  of  man 
and  God,  through  the  death  of  Christ,  and  such 
a  display  of  divine  love  as  that  which  led  the  Son 
of  God  to  die  for  his  enemies  and  to  make  pro- 
vision for  their  pardon,  restoration,  cleansing,  and 
final  glorification,  is  sufficient  to  put  into  the 
mouth  of  the  justified  believer  a  hymn  of  thanks- 
giving and  praise. 

Those  who  apprehend  this  great  truth  in  its 
complete  aspects,  and  have  entered  into  the  ex- 
perience of  its  concurrent  blessings,  to  which  at- 
tention has  just  been  called,  cannot  but  be  stirred 
to  the  very  depths  of  their  being  with  holy  joy. 
For  pardon  of  sins,  reconciliation  to  God,  life- 
union  with  the  risen  One,  acceptance  in  the  Be- 
loved, and  adoption  into  the  household  of  the 
Father,  before  whom  we  have  good  standing,  to 

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Justification 

whom  we  sustain  the  relation  of  friendship,  and 
to  whose  exhaustless  grace,  love,  and  power  we 
have  free  and  uninterrupted  access,  are  great 
blessings.  These  are  sufficient  to  arouse  the  pro- 
foundest  emotions  of  the  soul,  command  our  loy- 
alty, inspire  our  devotion,  awaken  our  gratitude, 
stir  us  to  holy  living  and  joyous  service,  and  fill 
us  with  the  anticipation  of  the  promised  vision  of 
the  glory  of  God. 

Such  a  change  of  relationship  and  such  a  stand- 
ing in  the  boundless  grace  of  God  as  the  justified 
enjoys  in  Christ,  illuminates  the  whole  spiritual 
horizon  of  the  believer,  and  gives  him  ground  for 
the  assurance  and  triumphant  hope  that,  in  the 
completed  life  beyond,  he  shall  behold  the  glory 
of  his  God  and  share  the  blessedness  of  his  im- 
mediate presence. 


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